Don't think in black and white. Open vs closed. No economy vs growing economy. The answer isn't so simple.
Virus deaths & contagion need to come down. That can be from a few weeks to 2-4 months. Epicenters NYC, Italy & Spain did come down. You can't overwhelm the hospital systems or people will die from heart attacks, strokes, accidents etc. along with coronavirus.
Next, countries/states open in phases - not all at once. Places which can operate safely open first. For example, a construction site is easier to open than a movie theater or school. People still need to behave prudently during the opening phase in order not to have a second wave.
This is important. The economy isn't going to bounce back 100% when places reopen for 3 reasons:
1. Corporations use recessions for lay-offs. Some furloughed workers will not be rehired.
2. Many people have no money. They're not going to rush out to spend what they don't have. Others will be cautious about spending in a economic downturn since they'll worry about being laid-off.
3. People will continue to be cautious in regard to exposure. Opening a movie theater doesn't mean people will go. Whole sectors will continue to suffer.
It could take years for the economy to recover even if everything opened all at once today.
Normal isn't going to happen anytime soon, if ever. Temperature checks before entering stores may become the new normal. Wearing masks and social distancing in public areas, too. People may always be afraid of the next epidemic/pandemic.
I believe weak leadership in DC will delay recovery, too. This is why you don't put people without government experience in charge of running a government and unfortunately, they refuse to consult with government people who are experienced.
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